Reflective Dino Hoodie

by fungus amungus

14K8018

Intro: Reflective Dino Hoodie

Transform your regular hoodie into a reflective dino hoodie and be more visible at night! With some reflective spikes that use the amazing high-tech retroreflective mojo developed by 3M you'll be much easier to spot. In a city where the drivers are a bit crazy and any edge helps to avoid being run over these just might save your life!

Or help you look a bit goofy. That's worth something, right?

Thanks to Rachel for sewing advice.

STEP 1: Get an Old Hoodie

This hoodie has been great for me. I failed to return the favor and during a big wheel race I tore a big hole in the back.

Ah well, now I have an excuse to rip it up even more in the name of science!

STEP 2: Tear It Up

The hoodie itself here has two layers. The inside gray layer and the outside black layer. I ripped the seam of the gray layer and then pulled the back out through this opening and ripped up a lot of the back layer that way.

I was more concerned about the way the black layer would look an no the gray. SO I was pretty careless about the gray and took my time ripping the seams of the black layer.

STEP 3: Start Making the Spikes

The spikes for the hoodie are sewable 3M reflective fabric. You can buy this in 1, 2, 4, or 6 inch widths. This stuff is 2 inches wide. I wanted to have a spike be about 2.5 inches wide on the bottom so I planned for a 3 inch wide triangle since some of it gets sewn under the fabric.

Long story short, cut a 6 inch piece off.

STEP 4: Fold, Draw, Sew

Fold the fabric back over itself, draw on a triangle, and sew it up!

The folding and drawing are as easy as you'd imagine, but be careful with the sewing. Go nice and slow so it doesn't get bunched up.

STEP 5: Cut and Turn Inside Out

Trim off the excess fabric and use a dead pen or a popsicle stick to turn it inside out.

STEP 6: Stuff It!

I grabbed a small amount of polyfill to give each spike a bit of volume. How much you use is up to you so keep trying different amounts until it has the right fullness.

STEP 7: Sew Back In

Here's the hard part. You want to sew the hoodie back together with the spikes inside it. You make a sandwich with the two pieces of the hoodie with the spike in the middle. Then you carefully sew it all together.

It helps to pin everything in place. These two shots show the hoodie/spike sandwich and the inside after all of the spikes have been sewn in.

STEP 8: Sew Up Other Layer

Now sew up the inside layer and you're done! You can make this look nice and pretty or messy. It's up to you.

STEP 9: Wear It!

If you want some help being seen at night then throw this on when it's dark out.

This is not the best for riding a bike, since you should be wearing a helmet. However, once off the bike, I've found this helpful for crosswalks at night.

19 Comments

Mauigerbil 12 years ago

You did the same thing as penandsword. Dont steal, man...

dogs990 13 years ago

Haha thanks!! i made a dino hoddie!!! its awesome!!!

Biohazard1194 14 years ago

As soon as I  find a donor-hoodie, I  will make this >:D

PyroguyX5 14 years ago

you said you found the 3M in 6 inch strips, can i ask were id purchases these? nice 'ible btw!!

ethereal haze 15 years ago

I love dinos and not being hit by cars!

Sunbanks 15 years ago

I would run around like a dinosaur :D

Coati 15 years ago

I would totally rock that

temp 15 years ago

That's awesome! But i think it should be a color more different then black. I mean its dark at night.

Mark Rehorst 15 years ago

Arch your back and then... and then look back at me, mean. Like a... Like a dragon...

Mark Rehorst 15 years ago

Like Big Earl says, "you are a very convincing dragon"!

fwjs28 15 years ago

RRAWRRR...that means i like it in dinosaur...

HotPinkBulb 15 years ago

Great work! different, but still tame.

=SMART= 15 years ago

Hahaha That is so cool !!! 5*